Scientists in China have discovered a previously unknown fungal pathogen that can infect humans
Scientists have discovered a type of fungus that has never been seen in humans before. They say warmer temperatures may be making it evolve for the worse. The fungus, called Rhodosporidiobolus fluvialis, was found in clinical samples from two unrelated hospital patients. In experiments, the researchers found that the yeast was resistant to several first-line antifungal drugs at higher temperatures – around human body temperature. This temperature also led to the emergence of “hypervirulent mutants” that could cause more severe illness in lab mice.
A hard-to-treat form of ringworm can be transmitted sexually and has now been found in the US
A difficult-to-treat form of ringworm can be sexually transmitted and has now been found in the United States. Ringworm, also known as tinea, is a skin infection caused by a variety of fungi. In this case, the culprit is a fungus called Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII). It has previously been reported in Southeast Asia and Europe. In 2023, for example, doctors in Paris published a case series of 13 infections reported among men in the city. These recent cases occurred among men who have sex with men, suggesting that the fungus may now be circulating in this demographic, although anyone can become infected.